Education and Resources for the Prior Authorization of MRI, CT, PET Scan and Nuclear Medicine Studies

Monday, October 17, 2011

Wellpoint to Use Watson Supercomputer

I recently came across a very interesting story by the Los Angeles Times that reports, “Watson, which defeated 'Jeopardy!' champions, will diagnose medical illness and, within seconds, recommend treatment options for patients. The insurer says the computer will help doctors, not replace them.”

Watson is to debut at cancer centers early next year. The article quotes Wellpoint as saying, “Watson will not be used to make decisions about reimbursing patients or doctors for the cost of treatments. But the system will eventually tell doctors what medical therapies and drugs are covered by patient's policies.”

It seems to me that if Wellpoint needs to specifically tell us that Watson will not be used to make decisions about reimbursing patients or doctors for the cost of treatments, then somehow, someway it probably will be. I hope I am wrong.

My hope is, Watson within all that circuitry and data, finds a cure for cancer. That lives will be restored. Hope will be restored. And, a mega-healthcare giant will share that knowledge for the good of the entire world. Oh, sorry. I am dreaming again....